Prime Minister says Britain 'will play a role' in major Iraq rescue mission

CRISIS TALKS: The Prime Minister talks to members of the press following Cobra's meeting [SKY NEWS]

Speaking after a Cobra emergency committee meeting earlier today the Prime Minister revealed that "detailed" plans are being made for a rescue mission to aid the 20,000 to 30,000 Yazidis stranded on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq.

He also stressed that British forces will "play a role" in what will be a "humanitarian operation."

Mr Cameron – who has just returned from a family holiday in Portugal – also confirmed that parliament will not be recalled to discuss the move.

MISSION: RAF Tornado jets have been gathering intelligence in the region [AP]

However Sky News has reported that a growing number of MP's are keen for the UK to join US airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) fighters.

The UK has already increased it's aid drops – with a third taking place on tuesday night – and has dispatched a "small number" of RAF Chinook helicopters and Tornado jets equipped with intelligence gathering equipment to the area.

Meanwhile Hemen Hawrami, Presidential Adviser for the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Leadership Council, has told ITV News that Britain will face terror attacks on home soil if they do not help Kurdish forces fight the Islamic State, formerly known as ISIS.

UNDER THREAT: Members of the Yazidi community at a refugee camp on the Iraq/Syria border [AP]

He said: "According to your Home Office, you have 500 passport holders within IS right now so they are not only a threat to Kurdistan but also a threat coming back to Britain and the EU. Kurdistan is the first defence line for Britain if they want to fight and they do want to fight for IS.

"We do believe it’s the right time right now for Britain to join the US in airstrikes. It’s like the time of what Britain did in 1981 when John Major saw the mass exodus of the Kurdish people, there is a mass exodus now of Yazidis and Christians. I think this is the right time again for Britain to intervene.”

AID: Supplies on board an RAF Hercules jet ready to be dropped in Iraq [PA]

ISIS have already used social media to warn the US to stay off "their land" or face the consequences, sending a series of tweets depicting scenes of violence against US citizens – including 9/11 – and the gory deaths of American armed forces.

Islamic State fighters have captured a notable amount of territory across Syria and Iraq in recent weeks.

There are continuing reports of the slaughter of minority religious groups such as Christians and the Yazidi community.